Switch



Feb. 2, 1954 w C, TREGQMNG k*2,668,204

SWITCH Filed Feb. 25, 1951 AT T ORNEY.

Patented Feb. 2, 1954 UNITED ,S'I'A'ESS PATENT -OF FIf'CE SWITCH William -C. il'rcgoning, Shaker Heights, Ohio, -assignor .to Cornell-.'Dubilier Electric-Corporation, .'South Plainfield, N. J., a corporation of Dela- 'Ware ppli'cation February 23, 1951,;SeriaLNo. 212,401

dClaims. l

.This .invention relates, .ias-indicated, -to switches, .but :has .reference more particularly .to .that type .of :switch known-as -anautomobile -,dimmer.switch.

.-A yprimary .object .of the invention is to provide .la @switch rof the lcharacter described, which has a .highly desirable .snap action, thereby inl'airing positive .and -quiek action `of .the `switch .at

all times. Y

.Another nobj-.ect .of .the .invention V-is `to .provide a :switch fof Vthe :character described, which is extremely xsimple in construction, which .is housed in a manner insuring against .entry .ofmoisture of foreign :matter .into .the switch, ,thereby .avoiding corrosion of .metallic gparts, which is free .from

constructional -features .whiohmight I.cause sticking -or binding 4of parts, .which :is highly emcient inioperation, and in which .the necesstyor lubrl cation, bearings, etc. is obviated.

IA ,further obj-ect `of the .inventionis to provide fa. switchof thecharacter described, which is charfacterized .by the .use .of .a .plunger .having .the ability to .restore itself .automatically to a desired central vertical position, ready .for .operation or vuse-in.theoperation .of the switch.

.Other -objects .and .advantages .of my invention Ewill be .apparent during the course of vthe fol- .lowing description. 11n the accompanying ldraw- .'ings Yforming a spart .of this specicati'on and in which .like numerals are .employed 'to .designate like ,parts 'throughout the same,

Fig. '1 is-a 'top plain View ci' the dimmer switch;

IFijg'. 2 is a bottom plan view ofthe dimmer switch;

Fig. 3 is ia 'cross-*sectional view, taken 4on the 'lined-3 o'fli'gjl;

Fig. `4 is 'a 'cross-'sectional view, taken on 'the `line "4-4 voflig. 3,'and

Fig. E51is 'a transverse cross-sectional'view,'taken on theline '5-5 -of "Fig, 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the switch will ce 'seen to 'comprise a terminal base I., of insulating material, 4and having rembedded therein, spaced pairs of rivets '2 and 3 and 2a and :3a the irst pair constituting contacts-tor bright iilaments and the other pair oon- `stiiniting contacts for the dim .filaments respectively of `the headlights r.of an automotive vehielo.

The rivets 2 and l and l2c and da are provided infth'e upper ends or heads thereof. with :spherical recesses and the lower ends VFof the rivet .stems .are hollowed out, as at 5 .so vas to enable 'these ends to be riveted into engagement with terminal plates 6, 'l and 8 (Fig. 2), whereby these plates are rigidly secured to the base I.

rThe plates .6 and I are adapted lforconnect'ion to the light .beam circuit, while the `plate .B is .adapted ior connection Vto the Abatteryfo lthe automobile.

Removably vsecured to the .base I, .as .by .means of .screw 9 .is ahousng., generally designated "ID, .and formed vas a die casting. .The housing IO comprises an upper., .generally cylindrical .portion II, .and a .generally rectangular .or box-like base portion I2. The portion II of Ithe housing has a .transverse web .or flange J3, `.deiining a .rectangular opening Ill, in which a G-shaped .plunger SI5, .formed o'f wire, .has vertical reciprocal movement.

.The plunger I5 lis .supported by a .push bar llt, which is riveted, .as at ITI., to an .inverted cup-like vmember I8, which is .slida'ble on the upper end of the housing portion I'I. The -bar .l is 'in the A'iorm vof Aa flat :.plate, which is guided, Sin its vertical movement .by slots `I9 yin opposite sides Yof the .opening .14, .and .has flanges 20 at its v`lower which .abut the web .lf3 to thereby determine .the uppermost limit .of .movement .of the :bar lli. .A compression .coil spring 21| .is interposed between .the web I3 and base .of .the .member Il8 this Spring serving to normally maintan the 'push bar llt, and accordingly, the plunger 4x5, in their uppermost positions.

1A .rocker pin 22 lis disposed Within the ,portion .I2 of the housing and has Aits ends mounted between .pairs of ears 'formed integrally with the housing. A rocker, formed o'f electrical insulating material, '24, lis Vmounted for pivotal mo'vement about the pin 22, and is restrained against movement axially o'f rthe pin by reason of the connement of the sides of the rocker vbetween the inner walls 25 of .the portion II of the housing, .as best shown in Fig. 4.

The rocker .24 is molded to provide ea central apex 0r ridge 26 and `oppositely inclined sides 21 .and .28, which terminate at their respective flower endsY in l.recesses or Igrooves 23 .and 30., the other walls SI and 32 of which constitute abutments -ior .a purpose to ybe .presently described.

The rocker 24 is also provided with :a central depending boss 33 which vprovides fan anchor for `one Iend of a compression coil spring 3'4, .the other end `oi which bears against a contacter floar 35, 'provided at end `with spherical fcontactcrs 36, which are 'spaced to `correspond -with the spacing ci Ithe plates 'l and `Ii.

:The switch housing is also provided with Jears and 38, whereby the switch `may be securedto the iioorboard of the automobile.

The operation of the dimmer switch will now be briefly described.

It will be assumed that the parts are normally in the position shown in Fig. 4, and that the rocker 24 is in the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 3. In this position, the contactors 35 are disposed in the recesses d of the rivets 2a and 3a, closing the circuit to the bright laments of the headlights. The rocker 24 is maintained in this position due to the pressure of the spring 34 against the rocker and contactor bar 35, and the fact that the contactors 36 are located in the recesses 4 of the rivets, which aid in preventing the rocker from being accidentally displaced.

When it is desirable to dim the headlights, the driver of the automobile will merely press his foot, usually his left foot, on the member I8, thereby depressing this member and compressing the spring ZI. This causes the bar IB to be pushed downwardly, forcing the plunger I5 against the surface 2B of the rocker. The plunger slides downwardly along the surface 28 until it enters the recess 30 and strikes the abutment 32. After the plunger abuts the abutment 32, continued downward movement of the plunger to the position shown in Fig. 3, causes the rocker 24 to rock about the pin 22 to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 3, in which position, the contractors l36 enter the recesses fi in the rivets 2 and 3, closing the circuit to the dim filaments of the headlights. The foot is then released from the element I8, permitting the spring 2I to return the element I8, as well as the parts I5 and I6 to their normalposition, as shown in Fig. 4. The rocker 24 is maintained in the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 3 ldue to the pressure of the spring 34 against the rocker and contactor bar 35, and the fact that the contactors 36 are located in the recesses 4 of the rivets, which aid in preventing the rocker from being accidentally displaced.

When it is desired to again energize the bright filaments, the member I8 is again depressed, but this time the plunger engages the surface 21 of the rocker, with the result that the rocker is again moved to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 3p

The movement of the rocker 24 from one position to the other is accompanied by a snap action, due principally to the expansion and contraction of the spring 34 and the engagement of the contactors 3G in recesses in the rivets 2 and 3 and 2a and 3a. This snap action insures positive and quick action of the switch, and the switch generally is free from constructional features which would cause sticking or binding of any parts thereof.

The manner in which the parts are housed or enclosed insures against entry of moisture or foreign matter into the switch and avoids corrosion or rusting of the metallic parts.

Moreover, due to the simplicity of construction and eiiicient operation, the necessity for lubrication, bearings, etc., is obviated.

Another important feature is the manner in which the plunger I5 is mounted on the push bar I6. By providing an end I5a on the plunger I5 which extends transversely through the bar I6, the plunger is permitted to have a pivotal movement relatively to the bar, so as to accommodate its position to the movement of the rocker 24.. This pivotal movement is however, accomplished. against a resistance caused by the fact that the plunger also has an end I5b which extends trans-v versely through the bar IB at a point below and in spaced relation to the end I5a. This resistance causes the plunger to be resiliently distorted, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the tendency of the plunger to restore itself to normal condition, following such distortion, serves to aid in restoring the plunger to its normal position, which, if viewed in Fig. 3, would be a vertical position.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of `parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a switch of the character described, a terminal base, a housing secured to said base, a rocker mounted for pivotal movement in said housing, a contactor bar below said rocker, spring means interposed between said rocker and contactor bar, and means for causing rocking movement of said rocker between predetermined positions, said last-named means comprising an inverted cup-like member mounted on said housing, a push bar secured to said member, and a plunger secured to and depending from said bar, said plunger having an inturned end portion journalled in said push bar and a second inturned end portion journalled in said push bar at a point spaced vertically from the journalling of said rst-named end portion.

2. A switch, as dened in claim 1, in which said plunger is made of resilient material and normally lies in a single plane common to the axes of said end portions, but is distortable to permit distortion of a portion of the plunger from said plane.

3. In a switch of the character described, a terminal base, a housing secured to said base, a rocker mounted for pivotal movement in said housing, a contactor bar below said rocker, spring means interposed between said rocker and contactor bar, and means for causing rocking movement of said rocker between predetermined positions, said last-named means comprising a push bar mounted for reciprocal movement in said housing, and a plunger secured to and depending from said bar, said plunger having an inturned end portion journalled in said push bar and a second inturned end portion journalled in said push bar at a point spaced vertically from the journalling of said first-named end portion.

4. A switch, as defined in claim 3, in which said plunger is made of resilient material and normally lies in a single plane common to the axes of said end portions, but is distortable to permit distortion of a portion of the plunger from said plane.

WILLIAM C. TREGONING.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATEN'I'S Number Name Date 1,773,595 Meuer Aug. 19, 1930 2,047,950 Douglas July 21, 1936 2,095,176 Douglas Oct. 5, 1937 2,211,815 Hansson Aug. 20, 1940 2,303,693 Hill Dec. 1, 1942 2,321,212 Johnson June 8, 1943 A2,418,005 Baker et al Mar. 25, 1947 

